West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-01-06
THE MATES STORY.

now CHINESE PIRATES WE'RE BErULsEp.
In 1875, owing to the wreck of Bos
ton brig in the China Sea, l was left in
Hong Kong in pretty bad shape. After
/ had carried a flag OF distress. as YOU
might say, for two weeks. an English
man offered TO let me work my passage
TO Liverpool, but rs l was abolt to ac
cept II ran across countryman who
had berth for me. One of the LARGEST
trading houses in Canton at that time
was composed of three Americans. and
they owned two small steamers and three
or four sail craft These vessels were
employed in collecting goods from the
various islands TO the southeast, and some
OF the voyages ext, nded up the Yellow
Sea as far as Teng chow. Just at that
time the firm had come into e,sion
OF new steamer, and she was about 10
make her first voyage. There had been
trouble with pirat cal craft, and the
steamer had been fitted out TO take care
oi herself She carried two six Founders
twenty American cavalry carbines. n
score of revolvers, and was fixed 10
throw hot water over boardcrs. Her
compliment of men was fifteen. of whom
the cook. steward, and three frcmen
were natives. All others were Ameri
cans and Englishmcn. The supcrcargo
was an American, who could rattle oil
the thlnese language rs we'll as the best
OF EN-, and the Captain and some OF the
others could 'smatter' more or less.
Our first voyage was 20 be up the Vel
low Sea, and we carr cd load OF Ameri.
can and English goods. The cargo well
deserved the name of miscellaneous. -
There were muskets, fish spears. soc
leather, tinware, looking glasses, cali
Goes, buttons, stoncwarc, lamps fish
nets, groceries, axes, and almost every
thing else you can think of, and the
supeTcargo also carried money TO Dur-
chase what we could not traffic for. We
were to pick up in exchange whatever
foreign markets called for in Canton.
which included teas, rice several specics
of nuts, dyestuffs, ROOFS, barks. skins.
etc.
1 was in luck to secure tho place of
mate, for Captain Tabor was n splendid
fellow and the crew was one which could
be depended on. We had three or four
men who understood the handling Of tho
six-pounJers, which had been sent over
from the United States, and with the
supply Of small arms athand we felt our
selves match for anything except n
regular gunboat. We got away in good
shape, ran up between the coast and the
Island OF Formosa, and then steered TO
the northeast 60 fetch the Loo kioo
Islands which arc seven or eight i'm mum
Der, and deal IN ginseng, sarsaparilla and
other medical roots. We stopped day
at ke-LuBg, which is at the nor, ,hern end
OF FormOsa, and almost opposite Foo
chow, on the mainland, and while here il
was noticed that the native members Of
OF our creT were very thick with n lot of
suspicious characters who wyre hanging
about us the greater part Of the day. The
supercargo overheard them discussing
our voyage and making many inquiries,
and when he spoke Of the matter to the
steward that pig tailed gentleman ex
planned tn all our natives were related
to the strangers who had been hanging
about, and Of course the latter took an
interest in them.
i didn't know Chinese character as will
rs some Of the others, ana was therefore
somewhat surprised to hear the Captain
and supercargo discussing the impudencc
OF the natives aboard before we had left
Ke-Lung 10y fifty miles. The firemen
had given the engineer trouble and the
steward had certain sort Of impuden,e
in his obedience 20 commands I did
not know until now that gang of
twenty or more Of the fellows at X e.. .unp
had attempted TO induce the CAPTAIN to
give them passage 90 the island of
Tseeusan, which we meant 10 visit. They
had offered big pFaage money and we're
willing 20 put up with my accommoda
tions but he mistrustcd them and firmly
declined to have one Of them aboard.
The steward and fremen were soundlv
beratcd by the Captain and threatened
with irons II any more trouble occurred
and there the matter was dropped. At
the close Of the second day we dropped
anchor of n small island TO the south
west Of Tseeusan called Kune .wah.
There was no harbor but the depth Of
the water enabled ms 90 get within
cables length Of tho beach in a compar-
ativcly sheltered spot
Captain Tabor had traded at this isl-
and year before, aud he knew that the
natives were all right as long ns thcy
were kept In awe by superior force.
There was q trader ON the island WHO
had n large stock Of roots, and after "a
palavcr lasting two days and nights the
supercargo finally made q bargain with
h m. 10 was observed by the Captain
that some change had come over the na.
tiyes, for ON his previous trip they had
been eager 20 close a bargain at anv
figure named The natives I'm our
crew had be permitted 70 go ashore.
and dozen or so OF the LEADING
men Of the island had como aboard
and inspected us. 10 was night OF the
second day before a trade was agreed
upon. On the following day we were to
beg landing and receiving goods.
There was a big crowd OF natives on
shore opposite The s'eamor and they had
canoes, catamarans, and dhows enough
to have embarked 100 people. Just be-
fore night closed in VIC sighted % large
junk coming down from the direction of
Fcrmosa, but Qavc her no particular ot-
tontion AZ about @ o'clock she came
jogging along 40 O tramp's gait and
d'Opped her mud hook within 90 feet
Of as gave her looking over with
the night glass, and as only five or six
men could bc made out on her decks. 30
was natural to conclude that she wa a
trader.
Being 10 port, viii fair weather for